| Boat name | Mercedes IV |
| Designer | Ted Kaufman |
| Builder | Cec Quilkey |
| Year launched | 1974 |
| Rig | Sloop |
| LOA | 41 ft 11in |
| LOD | |
| LWL | 36 ft |
| Beam | 12 ft 9 in |
| Draft | 7 ft 6 in |
| Sail number | R 1224 |
| Owner | John Miles, Ashley Sharples, Richard Stringer, Jane Williamson |
| ARHV Number | |
History
Built to contest the Admiral’s Cup of 1975, Mercedes IV was Ted Kaufman’s successor to Mercedes III, the leading member of the 1967 winning Australian team.
At Cowes in 1975 with team members Love and War, and Bumblebee lll , the Australians finished 9th in unusually light winds and strong tidal conditions.
She then competed, along with Love and War and Patrice III for the New South Wales team in the 1975 Southern Cross Cup. They finished a respectable 2nd behind New Zealand, with Mercedes IV finishing 10th on the individual point-score.
Mercedes IV went on to compete in 15 Sydney to Hobart races, recording best results of 4th overall in 1974, 6th overall in 1984 and 13th overall in the infamous 1998 race.
